ARSENAL have been plunged into yet another injury crisis – just days before they face Real Madrid’s superstar attack.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta could be without FOUR defensive starters for the Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie at home to Real Madrid next week.
Gabriel limped off after just 16 minutes of Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Fulham on Tuesday night with a worrying hamstring injury.
And right-back Jurrien Timber is now also a doubt with a knee issue and joins full-backs Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori in the treatment room, who are both struggling with knee injuries.
The timing could not be worse, with Carlo Ancelotti’s European Champions on the horizon.
Real Madrid come alive when the Champions League is on the line.
Vinicius Jr has started only two thirds of their La Liga games but he ALWAYS plays in Europe.
Along with Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo, it’s a terrifying prospect, with Jude Bellingham coming through from midfield.
As Arteta moaned on Tuesday night: “We have lost four players in the defensive line in one week.
“You’re scratching your head. In the end, the players are going to react to it.
“You can’t start to feel sorry for yourself. The good thing is that it’s been like this the whole season. We still have another four that are willing to do their job.”
Should things stay as they are, the four to start against Madrid could be William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly and midfielder Thomas Partey at right-back.
Left-backs Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney will be available from the bench, while right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu will not return from a knee operation until late 2025.
It is not ideal, to say the least, especially when preparing to face one of the best and most exciting attacking line-ups on the planet right now.
Polish centre-back Kiwior, 25, has started just two Prem games this term and is a bag of nerves when given the chance, particularly if he has someone like Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe to keep an eye on.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr. will be licking his lips if he gets to line up against a makeshift right-back in Partey for 90 minutes.
So, what exactly do Arsenal’s weakened defensive line need to look out for against Carlo Ancelotti’s Galacticos?
Tactics expert Lee Scott takes a closer look.
Overloading the left side of the pitch
The biggest question at the start the season for Madrid boss Ancelotti was how he would fit both Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. into the same starting line-up with both at their best from the left side of attack.
Even when Mbappe played through the middle he still showed a clear tendency to come outside and occupy spaces on the left.
Ancelotti appears to have solved this issue in the same way that he solves most issues on the pitch.
By letting the players find the solution for themselves throughout the game.
The Spanish side have often overloaded the left side of the pitch and it has been extremely effective for them in the Champions League this season.
With Vinicius Jr. on the left of the attack and Mbappe starting through the middle they are then supported by the likes of Ferland Mendy from the left-back position and Jude Bellingham from the midfield.
By overloading one side of the pitch in this manner we have seen Madrid create a number of opportunities for the likes of Vinicus Jr. to attack defenders in 1v1 situations.
The speed with which the attacking players combine in these positions on the left of the attack can be bewildering for defensive players.
Madrid consistently breaks through on this side of the pitch thanks to combinations or 1v1 skills from individual players.
Arsenal and their coaching staff will have to take this threat into account when they meet in the quarter finals.
Isolating the right-hand side
In football when you get a team with a clear tendency to overload one side of their attack there is, of course, a reaction on the other side.
The right-side of the attack for Real Madrid typically sees the Brazil star Rodrygo isolated on that side of the pitch.
When they overload the left side there is a natural reaction from opposition defences to slide across to try to counter the threat.
This means they cab quickly switch the ball to the opposite side of the pitch where Rodrygo is isolated and ready to attack.
There is an argument to be made that despite having Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. in attack, Rodrygo has actually been their most effective attacking player this season.
When Madrid attack in this way they tend to build with slower tempo and shorter passes as they build up their overload.
When they then change the tempo and quickly transfer the ball from left to right they create 1v1 opportunities for Rodrygo.
Whenever Rodrygo takes possession, his first instinct is to be aggressive and to go on the attack.
He is exceptionally dangerous in 1v1 situations and he can attack defenders down the outside or cut inside and drive in towards the opposition penalty area.
It is natural for World Cup winner Mbappe and Ballon d’Or runner-up Vinicius Jr. get a lot of attention from opposition defences.
But this just means Rodrygo can go under the radar despite being just as dangerous as his two more illustrious team-mates.
Aggressive defending
The attacking performances from Real Madrid take all of the headlines.
But their defensive performances in key matches this season have gone under the radar.
For all of the attacking qualities Madrid have, they have been very effective out of possession in denying the opposition clear chances.
Ex-Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger has been one of the key figures in their Champions League campaign so far.
This was especially true in the round of 16 tie against Atletico Madrid.
The Germany international routinely stepped out to defend with aggression and prevent Atletico from being able to create any real threat.
Rudiger has defended with positive aggression as he looks to be proactive against the ball in closing down the space between the midfield and the defensive line.
He is quick and his willingness to jump out of shape to defend in space allows the Madrid midfield to play higher.
With the attacking issues Arsenal currently face, with the midfielder Mikel Merino being used as a striker, defensive aggression from Madrid could be key when they meet.
The defensive strength of Madrid is often overlooked but it is possible this has had an even greater impact on their performances in the Champions League.
Rudiger is a monster defensively and he provides the defensive balance to the likes of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo in the attacking unit for Real Madrid.
Conclusion
While Real Madrid are currently second in La Liga, three points behind their bitter rivals Barcelona, they have still been excellent in the Champions League.
They have the attacking options to hurt teams from a number of different areas of the pitch and have defensive strength at the other end.
Can anyone stop them from winning another Champions League this season?
You wouldn’t bet against them.
Arsenal ratings v Fulham
ARSENAL had a night of mixed fortunes as they beat Fulham 2-1 at the Emirates.
Bukayo Saka not only returned but also scored after 101 days out.
But injuries to Gabriel and Jurrien Timber ahead of next week’s visit of Real Madrid took the gloss off the win.
Here’s How SunSport’s Josh Hall rated Mikel Arteta’s men on the night.
DAVID RAYA – 7
Week by week Raya is staking a claim as one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
He doesn’t have to face a barrage of shots as part of this Arsenal team, but rarely falters when he is called upon.
His distribution and preventative high claims are also among the best around.
There was little he could have done to stop Rodrigo Muniz’s deflected goal.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 6
It looked like the Dutchman’s night was going to be cut short around the half an hour mark when he went down clutching his knee.
Fortunately, he was able to play on and even managed to test Bend Leno with a stinging effort in the second half.
Unfortunately his earlier knock proved too much and he was taken off with a niggle in the 75th minute.
Arsenal could now be without at least two starting defenders for their clash with Real Madrid.
GABRIEL – N/A
Just when Arsenal fans thought they were creeping out of their injury crisis with the return of Bukayo Saka, they lose another top star.
Gabriel hobbled off after just 15 minutes to be replaced by Jakub Kiwior.
Arteta – and every Arsenal fan up and down the country – will be hoping the wall at the back will be fighting fit for their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid next week.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 6
Stepped up to the plate in Gabriel’s absence and looked assured both on and off the ball.
His frame did wonders to prevent Raul Jimenez from fashioning any chances in dangerous areas.
However, he wasn’t able to do enough to stop Rodrigo Muniz from batting it against him to pull a late goal back for Fulham.
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 7
Every time you see Lewis-Skelly play you wonder how he’s only 18 and not a seasoned pro with years of experience at the top.
He didn’t set the world alight against the Cottagers, but looked just as assured and comfortable as he always does – this time without Gabriel by his side.
While he also made an important bloke to prevent Muniz after Fulham had pulled back a late goal.
Mikel Arteta has splashed the cash to have a plethora of options at left-back, yet it seems like the Hale End academy graduate is now the number one choice for that position.
THOMAS PARTEY – 7
Almost gifted Fulham a golden opportunity with a loose header in the first half, but saw David Raya pop up to save the day.
Despite a few loose touches he did enough to keep the ball moving in central areas.
He’s become an important starter for Arsenal this season, yet still seems to be on his way out in the summer on the expiration of his deal.
DECLAN RICE – 6
He’s not a glamorous footballer, but he’s always going to give 100 per cent no matter what.
Certainly not his worst game in an Arsenal shirt, but by no means his best.
MARTIN ODEGAARD – 5
Another frustrating night for the Arsenal captain who seems to have been unable to find the keys to unlock the low block his side faces each week.
The Norwegian is certainly one of the best talents in the league, but has only shown it in glimpses this season.
Arsenal as a whole looked a bit laboured and lacklustre at times, often that’s a result of the way Odegaard is playing. When he ticks, the whole team does too.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 9
Regularly made Timothy Castagne look silly throughout the match and get into dangerous positions by the byline.
But despite fashioning plenty of opportunities, the Brazilian was – as per usual – struggling with his end product in the first half.
It almost seemed as if every shot or final pass was rushed or snatched at for the opening 45 minutes.
That changed in the second half when his delightful flick perfectly teed up Bukayo Saka for a dream return to action.
Finally looked like he had the goal to top off a spectacular performance in the dying moments, but was deemed to be marginally offside when his effort found the back of the net.
ETHAN NWANERI – 7
Bright spark in the opening exchanges and volleyed one right down the throat of Bernd Leno in the 21st minute as he looked the most likely to find the back of the net at first.
Instead it was his cutback that helped open the scoring when he placed it on to the boot of Mikel Merino to poke home the first goal of the night.
Replaced by Saka in the second half in perhaps a foreshadowing of what might happen to his role in the squad for the remainder of the season.
MIKEL MERINO – 8
Merino has stepped up the role of of make-shift striker with the sort of professionalism you would want from any player in your team.
He might not make darting runs behind the back four, or curl delightful efforts round the keeper, but he’s certainly got a knack for goal.
His punt towards goal took a healthy deflection off Jorge Cuenca to send it into the corner, but he won’t care – now netting an impressive five goals in eight games as a centre-forward.
He almost made that six when he rifled another effort goalward from a corner in the 60th minute.
SUBS:
JAKUB KIWIOR – 4 (ON FOR GARBRIEL 15mins)
Always a tough task to replace one of the best defenders in the league, but didn’t do enough to impress at all.
Sloppily gave the ball away to gift a golden opportunity to Adama Traore in the second half, but was lucky to see the shot blazed wide.
He was partly to blame for leaving Rodrigo Muniz wide open for his wayward header on the 80th minute mark – once again saved by sloppy finishing.
With each game that passes it seems to be more obvious that the Polish international just isn’t at the required level.
BUKAYO SAKA – 8 (ON FOR NWANERI 66mins)
The Emirates erupted in its loudest cheer of the night when Saka made his return to action after 21 games and 101 days on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
That was until he nodded home the Gunners’ second just six minutes after crossing the line and an even louder roar bellowed around N5.
Arsenal have missed him dearly, and a return right before perhaps the biggest European game in the Emirates era could be crucial for Mikel Arteta’s side.
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 5 (ON FOR TIMBER 77mins)
Had very little impact on the match coming on so late, but did nick the ball off the foot of captain Odegaard who was lining up a thunderous effort.
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